Backend development

Stage 1 · Lesson 4 of 10

Collections, generics and LINQ

Your language and how HTTP works

List<T>, Dictionary<TKey, TValue> and HashSet<T> hold most of your data. (the <T> part) let the compiler check what goes into them. , short for Language Integrated Query, is how C# code filters, maps, groups and sorts data.

For example, orders.Where(o => o.Paid).GroupBy(o => o.CustomerId) reads like the question you are asking. The key idea is deferred execution: a LINQ query does nothing until you actually loop over it with foreach, ToList or Count. That matters later, because Entity Framework Core turns the same LINQ into .

Common traplooping over one query several times, which repeats the work each time, or calling ToList too early on a database query and filtering millions of rows in memory.

A question to check yourself, an AI practice session and 1 cheat sheet entry come with the full roadmap. Unlock

Resources for this stage

Start with

  • GuideFree
    Learn C#

    Microsoft · Beginner

    Official C# tutorials from the language basics through classes, LINQ and async

Practise

  • Your language track: small exercises with free mentor feedback on idiomatic code

Keep handy

  • Quick syntax lookups for your language when you forget how something is written

  • Read the HTTP overview, methods, headers and status code pages until they feel obvious

Also worth your time

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